The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-10-25
A FEARLESS BANDIT.
An Hour With the Notorious Vas
0ueZ
ON THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH.


years back-that of Tiburcio Vazquez.
Sheriff Adams, afterward murdered in Ari-
IONA by friends Of the bandit, so it is supposed
let a party of San Francisco reporters into the
| San Jose Jail the night before the execution.
The little brigand, who had robbed and
| slaughtered with his band through Santa
Clara, San Benito, Fresno, Tulare, and the
whole southern country, until he had achieved
notoriety as high as that of his great prede-
cessor, Joaquin Muretta, was sitting absorbed
| in a newspaper when the reporters entered.
| He had been permitted to leave his cell and
take the freedom of the asphalt paved corridor.
| His chair was fashioned from a dry goods box,
and his lamp stood on the equally rough table,
where there were also pens and ink. He had
been writing his last letters.
Vasquez rose and nodded pleasantly to his
curious visitors. There were half dozen of
them, and each presented him with a cigar or
two, so that he had handful.
Pm afraid he said with a smile, ''that 1
shan't have time to smoke all these
He was a very polite bandit, and remained
standing until all the strangers were seated
He was not only self-posSessed but cheerful. 1t
pleased him to see new and not unfriendly
faces, for no doubt his solitary thoughts had
been anything but agreeably company.
AS he stood there, one hand on the arm of
showing courteous interest in the efforts of
the busting deputy to find seats for his guests,
he was far from formidable in appearance.
However terrible he may have looked when,
shotgun in hand, he rode up to the stage coach
or the wayside store, the lonely traveller or the
isolated ranch-house, with his Gathering crimi-
nal cavalry behind him, as ready to blow out
brains and cut Threats as to take plumber, he
was now but short, broad-shouldered, dark
skinned, pleasant-faced Mexican, with moth
ing whatever forbidding about him. Indeed,
his manner was engaging.
The fellow was gentleman. He showed it
not only in his politeness, but in the cool cour-
age with which he faced his dreadful end
81 would rather talk of something else, if it
is agreeable to you gentlemen" he said, when
the reporters fell to business. and questioned
him about the state of his mind.
II am to be hanged tomorrow. Very well.
l don't like it, but have no choice. See?"
And he shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
"Do you feel that you deserve your fate ?"
solemnly asked the dullest reporter.
"Well, that does not much matter" he an
swered, lighting a cigar. "While I never
killed anybody myself, permitted my men to
do so, and in the eye of the law, that is the
same thing. so 1 suppose 1 deserve what is
going to happen. Since cannot help myself,
l am content"
His English was not nearly so good as this,
but it was not so bad as an attempt to render
his Mexican accent in print would make it,
"Do you believe in a hereafter?' asked the
solemn reporter.
"Um-do you?'' he asked in return, his
black eye twinklng.
The solemn reporter grinned, and so did
Vasquez.
"The priest he has been here. He SAYS there
is another world. He lisa good man. He be-
Heves it. Very well, [ do not know. But" Sc
riously, II die Christian, Catholic, as
have lived. Will you pardon me, gentlemen,
if l ask you to talk about something else than
myself. am glad to see you; 1 like company.
The weather is pleasant, eh ~
He leaned back in his rude chair with an
animated countenance ready to chat, like one
who wished to while away dragging hours. He
had about fourteen of them left.
The mans face was strong and firm. He was
in the prime of life and in perfect health. His
courage had been proved in many bloody
fight, and if by numbering all his visitors it
would have given him one chance in a thous-
and of escape that chance would have been
taken, and God thanked for it. AS it was, he
smiled cordially and accepted the inevitable
with manly composure.
His politeness was inexhaustible. The tow
headed editor Of one of the local papers came
in, greeted him with boisterous hilarity
meant at once to cheer the condemned and
display to the metropolitan journalists his SUI
perior intimacy with a celebrated character.
The editor actually took copy of his paper
from his pocket and. with the remark, 81 sup
pose you want to hear what said about you to-
night" sat down and read to Vasquez three
solid columns about his crimes, the prepara-
tons for the hanging, and minute description
of the gallows, with mention of the other GRIM
inals who had stepped upon it.
This performance appalled, the callous re-
porters, but Vasquez bore it in silence, without
a vince or froWn.
Sheriff Adams appeared, and the Mexican
retired into the shadow with him. They whis-
pered together and the sheriff seemed TO he
trying to dissuade his charge from some pur-
pose. But Vasquez was resolute, and the Off
Ger retired with deprecatory showing of his
palms.
Soon there was tramping of feet without,
the key turned,a and the iron doors were thrown
open, changing. Two men bearing coffin and
followed by black-coated undertaken with
pair of trestles in his hand came in. The
cotfin-a fine one, studded with silver-headed
nails-was placed the trestles, and the
brigand, cigar in teeth, stepped up and inspect
ed it with lively. interest. He half squatted
and ran his hand along the side.
Its too Short" he said, with surprise,
looking at the awed undertaken, who assured
him it YVES all right-that it should be
measured at the top, not near the bottom.
"It's high" cried Vasquez, with a wave of
his hand, pleased at the quality of the coffin,
which had been provided by his friends. The
undertaken thought he referred to the lid,
which was rounded, and said that it was the
fashion to make them that way.
ooh, he doesn't mean that" said the local
editor, scornfully. "What he means is that
it's nifty"
gratefully at the San Jose journalist for sup
plying the right word. eyes, yes, it is nifty"
He put his hand inside, felt the padding,
pressed the little pillow, and, with an upward
tirt of his cigar, observed:
"Well, I shall sleep there very well for
ever" He turned away toward his chair.
'Devil take me, Vasques, if you haven't
nerve" exclaimed reporter, admiringly.
"What would be the use of being the other
way?" he said. calmly enough, but there was
a sharp thrill in his tone that limited of the
agony in the Gagged mans heart.
On tho morrow he walked out into the sunlit
Jail yard, climbed the steps of the scaffold,
gazed indifferenuy at the gaping mob of men
below, threw a wistful glance beyond the walls
at the blue hills ON which he had ridden on
many fray with his cutthroats, and then
gave all his attention to the CHASTITY business
of the moment.
They sought to inhibition his coat and collar,
He waved them aside politely and did it him
self. He assisted the hangman in adjusting
the straps and rope, glanced down TO see that
his feet were precisely on the crack, kissed the
crueifx held out to him by the priest, and bore
himself with patience and dignity while they
drew over him white shroud and placed on
his head and shoulders great black hood. II
am ready he said, serenely, closing his eyes.